Vehicle headlamp connectors



Oct. 22, 1968 R. HICKTON ETAL 3,407,381

VEHICLE HEADLAMP CONNECTORS Filed Aug. 15, 1966 United States Patent Ofi 3,407,381 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 ice 3,407,381 VEHICLE HEADLAMP CONNECTORS Raymond Hickton, Halesowen, and Frederick Henry Bond, Kings Heath, England, assignors to Joseph Lucas (Industries) Limited, Birmingham, England Filed Aug. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 572,382 1 Claim. (Cl. 339-192) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to vehicle headlamp connectors, headlamp connectors, of the kind which in use is connected to a headlamp harness a complementary connector on the sealed beam unit to provide the required electrical connections to the main beam and dipped beam filaments thereof.

The present invention resides in such a connector having secured thereto means 'for supporting an additional bulb in close proximity to the rear of the sealed beam unit. Where such a bulb is provided, the silvered rear surface of the unit will be provided with a portion which is unsilvered and through which light from the additional bulb is directed to provide a :side light or parking light. The supporting means may be a separate part, or integral with the connector.

In the accompanying drawings,

FIGURE 1 is an end view of a connector in accordance with one example of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational sectional view of a part adapted for connection to the connector shown in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 in FIGURE 1 but with the part shown in FIGURE 2 in position and the terminal members omitted for clarity, and,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of part of a second example.

The connector shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 is intended for use with a conventional sealed beam headlamp unit which on its rear face is provided with three blade terminals, one of which is connected to one end of the dipped beam filament of the unit, a second of which is connected to one end of the main beam filament of the lamp, and the third of which is connected to the other ends of both filaments to provide an earth return in use.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, the connector 14 is moulded in synthetic resin and has three parallel sockets 11, 12, 13 therein. The sockets 11, 12, 13 house terminal members which in use receive and make electrical contact with the blade terminals of the sealed beam unit.

The connector 14 is moulded with the three sockets 11, 12, 13 on three sides of a square, and the space between them is divided by integral cruciform arms into four apertures 15, 16, 17, 18. The purpose of these arms is to ensure that when the blade terminals of the sealed beam unit are engaged in the sockets 11, 12, 13 they cannot inadvertently be fed into the space defined between the three sockets.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 3 there is provided a capless bulb holder 19 mounted in synthetic resin and having therein passages 27, 28 and a recess 29 for the reception of bulb engaging terminal members 31. Formed integrally with the holder 19 is a synthetic resin clip 22 define at its free end a pair of lower arms 23 having downwardly projecting fingers 24 at their extremities, and a pair of upper arms 25 having upwardly projecting lugs 26 at their extremities.

The arrangement is such that the clip 22 can be engaged with the connector 14 by inserting the fingers 24 through the apertures 17, 18 respectively and then moving the clip 22 angularly. Angular movement of the clip causes the lugs 26 to engage the lower wall defining the socket 12, so that the arms 25 are moved towards the arms 23 as permitted by their own resilience. Further angular movement causes the lugs 26 to extend through the apertures 15, 16 respectively, whereupon the lugs 26 spring outwardly to engage the clip 22 and holder 19 with the connector 14.

In the alternative shown in FIGURE 4 the clip 22 has integral therewith at its end remote from the arms 24, 25, an annular collar 32 with which a separate bulb holder 19 is engaged. Conveniently the bulb holder is formed with a circumferential groove 33 and the collar 32 is formed with an internal circumferential rib 34, the two parts being interengaged in use.

It will be appreciated that in both examples the clip 22 and the connector 14 could be moulded integrally and that a reflector could be attached to the arrangement to direct light from a bulb engaged in the holder through the unsilvered area of the sealed beam unit.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A vehicle headlamp connector of the kind which in use is connected to a headlamp harness and is engaged with a complementary conductor on the sealed beam unit to provide the required electrical connection to the main beam and dipped beam filaments thereof, said connector including a body defining a rectangular hole, integral portions on said body defining sockets on three sides of the hole respectively, electrical connectors within said sockets respectively, the electrical connectors being adapted for engagement by complementary connectors on said sealed beam unit, a pair of cruciform arms dividing said rectangular hole into four smaller holes, and a capless bulb holder having integral therewith a clip, said clip including a pair of fingers and a pair of lugs which are detachably engaged in said smaller holes to maintain the bulb holder in the desired position with respect to the connector.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. JOHN R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

